New infections above 2,300 for 3rd day amid growing concerns over serious cases

A high schooler in the southeastern city of Ulsan undergoes a COVID-19 test, Nov. 11, following a confirmed case among her friends. Yonhap

South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed above 2,300 for the third consecutive day Friday, and the number of serious cases hit an all time-high amid eased antivirus curbs, health authorities said.

The country reported 2,368 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total caseload to 390,719, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

The latest tally marked a fall from the previous day's 2,520, but the daily caseload has hovered over 2,000 for three days in a row. The daily tally has stayed in the quadruple digits since July 7, including the record high of 3,272 cases on Sept. 25.

Of the total, 2,358 were local infections. Ten cases came from overseas, putting the cumulative total at 15,338.

The country added 18 more deaths from COVID-19, raising the death toll to 3,051. The fatality rate stood at 0.78 percent, the health authorities said.

The number of patients in critical condition hit an all-time high of 475 on Friday, according to the KDCA.

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The figure rose over to over 400 on Saturday for the first time since end-August to come to 411 and has been on a rise throughout the week.

"The increase in serious cases came as the daily caseload has hovered over 2,000 under eased antivirus restrictions, and the number of patients in their 60s, as well as breakthrough infections, has grown recently," Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol said.

Breakthrough infections mean positive cases among fully vaccinated people. About half of new COVID-19 cases in the country over the past two weeks were breakthrough infections, according to the health authorities.

There have been growing concerns over a further uptick in the daily caseload and serious cases as South Korea began easing virus curbs in November in the first of the three-phase "living with COVID-19" scheme for a gradual return to normalcy.

Under the first of the three-phase scheme, people are allowed to gather in groups of up to 10, regardless of vaccinations. Operation hour curfews for businesses that cover restaurants, cafes and movie theaters are fully lifted, except for entertainment facilities.

But the health authorities have warned the country may not move to the second phase of the "living with COVID-19" scheme if the current trend continues.

South Korea had planned to move to the second phase in mid-December after a two-week evaluation period.

As of Friday, 41.82 million people, or 81.4 percent of the country's 52 million population, had received their first COVID-19 vaccine shots since February when the country began its inoculation campaign. The number of fully vaccinated people reached 39.84 million, or 77.6 percent, according to the agency.

The health authorities predict full vaccination rates to reach 80 percent around mid-December. (Yonhap)

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